Dress shield

ABSTRACT

An improved dress shield comprising a laminar structure in a simple elliptical shape, having a centrally located transverse elliptical central panel in the facing layer, said panel comprising an ultra limp, drapable fabric which gives unrestricted movement and good fit along the underarm seam of a garment, and increases the range of movement of the shield.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to disposable shields placed along theunderarm seam of a garment, to protect the garment from perspirationstains and odors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Over the years a variety of under arm dress shields have been provided.In certain couture wear, cloth dress shields are sewn to the underarmseam. These are removed, and replaced, when the garment is cleaned.Because of the labor involved in sewing, cutting out, and re-sewing,disposable shields which may be attached to the garment by means ofpressure sensitive adhesive have been developed. These disposableshields have evolved over the years, both in terms of their materials,and fit, to produce the best product at the cheapest cost. The simplestof the shields comprises a circular laminate with an absorbent surface,an impervious moisture layer, and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer.When so constructed, is not easy to fit the shield about the curvedunderarm seam. An example of such a product is the Stain Stoppers shieldsold by Advantage Wear. Newer dress-shields have asymmetrical shapes,and/or cut-out's for enhanced fit, but which raise the cost ofproduction. An example is the Braza shield sold by Advantage Wear. Othersimilar constructions may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,631,752 and6,269,486. Simple crescent shaped shields have been suggested, which hugthe curve of the underarm, but generally provide no protection to thesleeve portion of the armpit of the garment. Double crescent designs,sewn together along the inner curve fit the underarm curve better,require cutting and sewing step in their manufacture, adding to theircost. Examples of simple and compound crescent shape shields may be seenin U.S. Pat. Nos. 108,908; 3,997,920; 4,393,521 and 5,038,409.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a simple laminar structure wherein thecenter of the shield comprises and ultra limp structure achieved with avery drapable facing layer, an absorbent layer with almost no tensilestrength, a moisture impervious layer and adhesive. The drapable facinglayer both permits lateral movement of the outer ends of the shield, toachieve unrestricted motion and an to conform the shield to the curve inthe underarm seam. This facing layer serves to pass liquid, and containthe absorbent layer between the facing and the impervious layer. Theabsorbent layer may include super absorbents, and/or fragrance. Theshield is attached to a garment by means of the pressure sensitiveadhesive regions on the opposite side of the moisture impervious layer.For convenience, a release sheet is disposed a top the pressuresensitive adhesive regions to protect the adhesive until the shield isto be placed on the garment.

Examples of a very drapable facing layer include an open work knittedfabric, such as those used in pantyhose. These fabrics are highlyporous, strong, but extraordinarily drapable, providing no resistance tomovement of the garment with shield on the wearer. Other examples willbe known to those skilled in the fabric arts. Is possible to form such asurface on a nonwoven fabric, and nonwoven fabrics are within thepurview of this ultra limp, drapable fabric layer of the invention. Themajor requirements of this ultra limp drapable fabric layer are 1) thatit connects the outer portions of the shield without restrictingmovement of the werer, and 2) that it contains the absorbent layerwithin the shield.

For a full understanding of the present invention, reference should nowbe made to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the top surface of a preferred embodimentof the improved dressed shield of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-section of the preferred embodiment of theimproved dress shield, shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section of an improved dress shieldaccording to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be describedwith reference to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings. Identical elements in thevarious figures are designated with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 illustrates the top surface of the preferred embodiment of thedress shield of the present invention, shown generally at 1. As shown,the top surface comprises a generally crescent shaped sleeved panel, 3,a similar generally crescent shaped a side panel, 5, both of whichcomprise an absorbent porous facing layer, 13; and the underarm panel,7, which comprises an ultra limp, drapable material. The underlyinglayers of the shield are described in relation to FIG. 2.

As shown, the dress shield is generally elliptical in shape, the underarm panel a centrally located elliptical panel, transverse to theellipse of the shield The inside surface of the dress shield is attachedto the underlying layers at least along the edges, 9. In one variationof this construction, the generally elliptical edge is pointed at A andC, giving the shield the overall look of a “cat's eye”. The shield inFIG. 1 the shield is universal, as there is no a right shield or leftshield. The sleeve panel and a side panel may comprise half ellipticalpanels joined together along seam line, 11, however it's preferredconstruction the sleeve panel and side panel are caught from a singleelliptical shape. This ellipse may be folded or scored along line 11.the shield may come in many sizes and different degrees of absorbency.

In an alternative construction, the curve A, B, C may be trimmed to A,D, c; and the under arm panel, 7, trimmed in the region nearest to C. Inthis configuration, the underarm panel will effectively create a shieldin which the curve from the center of the shield to C is greater thanthe curve from the center of the shield to D, if effectively creating ashield for use in the left armpit region.

FIG. 2 illustrates the schematic cross-section of the preferred dressshield of FIG. 1. As shown, the facing layer has a cut out, 15, beneathwhich is situated the underarm panel, 7. The underarm panel may beattached to the facing layer by stitching or gluing, or stamping of e.g.wood fibers. Beneath the absorbent layer, 17 is a moisture imperviouslayer, 19, which may comprise a separate sheet of material or an in situmoisture impervious layer formed at the undersurface of an absorbentlayer, as by the addition of thermoplastic fibers at least at theundersurface of the absorbent layer, and heat sealing of these fibers toform a moisture impervious layer; or by the addition of an adhesivecoating at the undersurface of the absorbent layer. For example, anabsorbent layer of fiber containing thermoplastic fibers may be heatsealed to fuse the fibbers at the undersurface, thereby creating amoisture impervious layer. Alternatively, a moisture impervious layer ofadhesive may be disposed on the undersurface of the absorbent layer tocreate a moisture impervious layer. In perhaps its most commonmanifestation, the moisture impervious layer comprises a moistureimpervious plastic sheet. The moisture impervious layer preventsstaining of the garment, 29.

A pressure sensitive adhesive layer, 21, at the surface of the moistureimpervious layer opposite the absorbent layer, is used to attach theshield to the garment. As shown in FIG. 2, the pressure sensitiveadhesive is provided with a release sheet, 25, which protects theadhesive until it is mounted to the garment. The gap between the facinglayer and the absorbent layer is an artifact of the schematicrepresentation of the layers, as the central panel in actuality will beextraordinarily thin. The layers of the dress shield are attached, atleast along the elliptical edges, 9. As shown in FIG. 2 the pressuresensitive adhesive layer is continuous, however it is contemplated thatthe dress shield of the present invention may require only discontinuousregions of pressure sensitive adhesive, to secure it to the garment.

FIG. 3 gives a schematic illustration of a cross-section of a dressshield according to the present invention. The shield comprises a facinglayer, 13, atop an absorbent layer, 17. At the center of the facinglayer is a central region, 25 made of an ultra limp, drapable porousmaterial. The central panel may be secured to the facing layer, as bystitching, or may be formed integrally with the facing layer. Thedrapable center region permits the unrestricted movement, and good fit,about the underarm seam of a garment.

The absorbent layer may include absorbent padding, made of woodcellulose fiber, and, preferably, a super absorbent material such aspolyacrylate absorbents, which turn liguid into a gel to preventleakage. In addition, the absorbent layer may contain a line or patternof densification, serving to wick the fluid to, e.g. and unused (dry0portion of the absorbent layer, or the super-absorbent. Other materialsincluded in the absorbent layer include polypropylene, polyester, andpolyethylene.

If desired, another. Added absorbent layer, 27, may be included in thedress shield of the present invention. Added layer, 27 lies beneath thefacing layer, and does not run the full width of the dress shield. Theadded layer may be constructed of the same materials as the absorbentlayer 17. Specifically, the added layer may contain super-absorbentmaterials, and may be the means by which super-absorbents are includedin the dress shield of the present invention. In one preferredembodiment, when the facing layer is sufficiently absorbent, the addedlayer with super-absorbents may replace the absorbent layer

The shield may be placed in the garment before the garment is worm, ormay be placed into the garment after it is put on. The entire releasesheet may be removed at once, and the shield applied to the garment.Alternatively, the release sheet may be removed from the adhesive underthe side panel, and he shield adhered to the inside surface of the sideportion of a garment; and then the release sheet removed from the sleevepanel, and the sleeve panel pressed into place on the inside surface ofthe sleeve of the garment.

There has thus been shown and described a novel dress shield whichfulfills all the objects and advantages sought therefore. Many changes,modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subjectinvention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the artafter considering this specification and the accompanying drawings whichdisclose the preferred embodiments thereof. All such changes,modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do notdepart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to becovered by the invention, which is to be limited only by the claimswhich follow.

1. An improved garment shield comprising an absorbent layer between afacing layer and a moisture impervious layer, joined together at leastalong their outer edges, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on thereverse side of the moisture impervious layer, and a release sheet forthe pressure sensitive adhesive layer; the improvement comprising acentrally located underarm panel in the facing layer, said panelcomprising a fluid pervious ultra-limp, drapeable fabric, which givesgood fit along the underarm of a garment, and increases the range ofmovement of the shield.
 2. An improved garment shield comprising anabsorbent layer between a facing layer and a moisture impervious layer,joined together at least along their outer edges, a pressure sensitiveadhesive layer on the reverse side of the moisture impervious layer, anda release sheet for the pressure sensitive adhesive layer; theimprovement comprising a centrally located underarm panel in the facinglayer, said panel comprising a fluid pervious, ultra-limp, drapeablefabric, which gives good fit along the underarm seam of a garment, andincreases the range of movement of the shield.
 3. An improved garmentshield comprising an absorbent layer between a facing layer and amoisture impervious layer, joined together at least along their outeredges, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on the reverse side of themoisture impervious layer, and a release sheet for the pressuresensitive adhesive layer; the improvement comprising a centrally locatedunderarm panel in the facing layer, said panel comprising a fluidpervious, ultra-limp, drapeable fabric, which gives good fit along thecurved underarm seam of a garment, and increases the range of movementof the shield.
 4. An improved garment shield as in claim 1, wherein thefacing layer, the absorbent layer, and the moisture impervious layer arecoextensive, and approximately elliptical in shape.
 5. An improvedgarment shield as in claim 4, wherein the entire facing layer isconstructed of the fluid pervious, ultra-limp, drapeable fabric of theunderarm panel.
 6. An improved garment shield as in claim 4, wherein thefacing layer comprises: 1) an ellipse of an absorbent, porous, fabriclayer, with a central transverse elliptical cut-out, and 2) an underarmpanel comprising a fluid pervious ultra-limp, drapeable fabric, saidpanel being larger than the cut-out, and overlapping the facing layeradjacent the cut-out, 3) said panel attached to the remainder of thefacing layer about the cut-out.
 7. An improved garment shield as inclaim 6, wherein the panel is glued to the facing layer.
 8. An improvedgarment shield as in claim 6, wherein the panel is sewn to the facinglayer.
 9. An improved garment shield as in claim 1, wherein the facinglayer, the absorbent layer, and the moisture impervious layer are joinedby gluing.
 10. An improved garment shield as in claim 1, said absorbentlayer further comprising embossed regions which wick fluids along theabsorbent layer.
 11. An improved garment shield as in claim 1, saidabsorbent layer further comprising embossed regions which wick fluidsalong the absorbent layer to super absorbents contained therein.
 12. Animproved garment shield as in claim 9, wherein said glued edges operateto densify the layers, and serve to wick fluid along the densifiededges.
 13. An improved garment shield as in claim 1, wherein the releasesheet comprises a number of sheets.
 14. An improved garment shield as inclaim 2, wherein the release sheet comprises a number of sheets.
 15. Animproved garment shield as in claim 3, wherein the release sheetcomprises a number of sheets.
 16. An improved garment shield as in claim13, wherein the adhesive layer is discontinuous.
 17. An improved garmentshield as in claim 14, wherein the adhesive layer is discontinuous. 18.An improved garment shield as in claim 15, wherein the adhesive layer isdiscontinuous.